Speaking with … Courtney Taylor-Taylor

Jae-Ha Kim

Courtney Taylor-Taylor is the lead singer for the Dandy Warhols. But get him in a conversation about remodeling and architecture, and you’d swear the guy was an architect or an interior designer–one who peppers his sentences with liberal doses of the “F” word, that is. On tour to promote the band’s new album, “Welcome to The Monkey House” (Capitol), Taylor-Taylor had a thing or two to say about his new Portland studio, the delights of touring and his method for preventing freakouts.

Jealousy, name-calling, tears: And it’s only the first week

Jae-Ha Kim

‘Temptation Island 3″ promises: No games. No millionaires. No prizes. No kidding. Let’s face it: Shows like this are all about games. The pawns are willing participants who trade a little bit of their dignity for a free vacation to a tropical island where they’re televised flirting and often making out with 14 hot members of the opposite sex. This is one viewer’s impressions of the desires and deceptions this week on Fox’s island of seduction.

Game Zone: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds, Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, Soul Caliber II

Jae-Ha Kim

Fast action, cool animation and plenty of options make this one of the best fighting games, bar none. There may be only 15 characters to select from, but thanks to the 1,500 accessory options (hair, clothes, facial features), there seem to be dozens more.

“Marci X”: Livin’ the thug life–with all the bugs

Jae-Ha Kim

The running theme through “Marci X” is, “You’ve got to be real.” That’s what Damon Wayans’ thug rapper Dr. $ says, and what Lisa Kudrow’s pampered Marci Feld parrots back. The thing is, there’s nothing real about the characters in this dismal comedy. Even as a satire, it fails because the filmmakers don’t understand the subject they’re satirizing.

“Step Into Liquid”: Surfing doc never catches the right wave 

Jae-Ha Kim

Dana Brown’s surfing documentary “Step Into Liquid” features lush locations, magnificent waves and rocking surfer bodies. So why does the film feel so much longer than its 88-minute running time? I liken it to a spa treatment, where the anticipation of soaking in a mud bath or taking a long, hot steam sounds wonderful but, in reality, proves to get old fast. There’s only so much relaxation you can take before you’re antsy to leave.

Who wins in ‘Freddy vs. Jason’? Not the audience

Jae-Ha Kim

Don’t bother asking who the ultimate winner is in the battle between “Freddy vs. Jason.” We’re not supposed to tell you. But suffice it to say you don’t have to be clairvoyant to realize this franchise isn’t going to die, even if one of the lead characters supposedly does.

Speaking with … Joe Jackson

Jae-Ha Kim

Twenty-five years after Joe Jackson, Gary Sanford, Graham Maby and Dave Houghton began recording “Look Sharp,” which was released in 1979, the musicians have reunited for “Volume 4” (Restless) and a tour that brings them to Chicago this weekend. Phoning from New York, quirky singer-songwriter Jackson talked about the strains of touring, his favorite books and how he’d fare as a new artist in today’s looks-obsessed market.